Scaffolding structure



Nov. 4, i941. y i w. H. FARR ETAL 2,261,831l

scAFFoLDING' STRUCTURE JEICIL.

f Il 4 AWillllnmmmm .f I. y f

l N V EN TORS Warren HA Farr Carolus L. E ksevg icm BY Tcdmon Q. Davenport.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 SCAFFOLDIN G STRUCTURE Warren H. Farr, Carolus L. Eksergian, and Talmon A. Davenport, Detroit, Mich., assignorsto- Budd Wheel Company, Philadelphia, Pa.,` a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 16, 1941, Serial No. 374,676

7 Claims.

rEhis invention relates to steel planking, and more particularly to planking adapted for scaffold and temporary structure use wherein end to end interlocking of adjacent planks is desirable.

More particularly the invention relates to a light weight steel plank having a general inverted channel cross section and in which the side webs, at the ends are provided with rung or bar engaging members readily interlocking with the adjacent end of the adjacent plank, the two ends of the plank being identical to facilitate rapid assembly of a large number of such planks as in a scaffold without necessitating end for end shifting.

Accordingly an object of the invention is to provide a steel plank of light weight and high strength.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide a steel plank having end fittings easily interengageable with adjacent extension planks.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a steel plank and adapted for use at both ends and readily engageable with any adjacent end of an adjoining steel plank having a similar end, and at the same time adapted toshare a horizontal bar support.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employedy for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts.

Fig. 1 illustrates a top plan view of a preferred form of the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan enlargement of Figure 1 showing a pair of planks interlocked upon a supporting bar.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the end portions as viewed from inside the plank.

Figure 6 is a transverse cross sectional view of the plank.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional View of a modied tread.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there will be seen a steel plank having a channel cross section, the plank having a walkway portion I0', side webs I2 and I4y and flanges IIiA and I8. The walkway is transversely corrugated as at 20 for strength against warpage and may be otherwise provided with im'- proved nonskid tread blisters in the form of upwardly iiangedv holes 22, as illustrated in Figure'.

To render the plank readily supportable from properly spaced supporting bars, the side webs, at diagonally opposite ends are provided with a heavy' flat hook member 2liy nested betweenthe Walkway portion and either flange I6 or I8, the hook' having its center 26 nearly vertically in line with the transverse end ange 28 of the floor or walkway portion I0. l

On the opposite` diagonal web ends, are provided similar hook members. 24',v but secured to the outside of the web in orderto provide a certain degree of offset. Nested inside of the web is an offset member 30 having a portion 32 offset laterally to provide a space 34' between the hook member 24 and the offset portion 32 wide enough to readily receive a hook 24 of an adjoining plank. The offset portion terminates just short of the center line as at 36 in order to lie within the end flange 28rheretofore described.

The end flange 28 is welded along its vertical engagement with the hook 24, as at 38 and the offset portion 32 is welded similarly to the end flange as at 40, as well as to the tread portion as at 42. The member 30 and hook 24 constitute members between which the web is clamped, thereby reinforcing the end structure to a considerable degree.

Since opposite ends of the plank are identical, they readily nest with one another to provide a plank, the sections of which are interlocked, even though rapidly assembled. 'Ihe strength of the plank is high for its weight and is obviously relatively simple to fabricate.

Although one embodiment of the invention, together with numerousalternative structures have been'illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto but may be employed in other equivalent arrangements and forms. As many changes in construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A floor plate comprising a sheet metal channel sectioned member having a floor portions at their ends being provided with plate hooks extending beyond the ends thereof, the hooks at one end being arranged, one on the outside of one flange and the other onl the inside, and the hooks on opposite ends of each of the flangesbeing similarly staggered.`

3. A floor plate comprising a sheet metal channel sectioned member having a floor portion, and side web portionsQsaid side web portions at their ends being provided with plate hooks extending beyond the .ends thereof, the hooks at 'one end being arranged, one on the outside of one flange and the other on the inside, and the hooks on opposite ends of each of the flanges being similarly staggered, said iloor plate extending substantially to the line of centers of said hooks and terminating in a depending flange. 4. A floor plate comprising a sheet metal lchannel sectioned member having a floor portion, and side webportions, said side web portions at their ends being provided with plate hooks extending beyond the ends thereof, the hooks at one end being arranged, one on the outside of one flange and the other on the inside, and the-hooks on opposite ends of each of the flanges being similarly staggered,'said floor plate extending substantially to the line offcenters of said hooks and terminating in a depending ilange and said outside hook being reinforced with an inside offset member, said inside member being offset away from the hook to provide a space for the reception of a hook from an adjacent interlocking floor plate. 5. A floor plate comprising a sheet metal channel sectioned member having a floor portion, and side web portions, said side web portions at their ends being provided with plate hooks extending beyond the ends thereof, the hooks `at one end being arranged, one on the outsideV of one ange and the other on the inside, and the hooks on opposite ends of each of the flanges being similarly staggered, said floor plate extending substantially to the line of centers of said hooks and terminating in a depending flange, said outside hook being reinforced with an inside offset member, said i11- side member being offset away from the hook to provide a space for the reception of a hook from an adjacent interlocking floor plate and said depending flange being out away sullicient to receive the inside hook and being Welded thereto.

6. A floor plate comprising a sheet metal I channel sectioned member having a floor portion and side web portions, said side web portions at their ends being provided with plate hooks extending beyond the ends thereof, the hooks at one end being arranged, one on the outside of one flange and the other on the inside, and the hooks on opposite ends of each of the flanges being similarly staggered, said floor plate extending substantially to the line of centers of said hooks and terminating vin a depending llange, said outside hook being reinforced with an inside offset member, said inside member being offset away from the hook to provide a space for the reception of a hook from an adjacent interlockingfloor plate, said depending flange being cut away suilicient to receive the inside hook and being welded thereto and also welded tothe end and top edge of the offset member. Y

7. A sheet metal floor comprising a plurality of plates, each. having its longitudinal edges stiiened and provided intermediate its stiffened longitudinal edges with stamped transverse'stiffening means, supporting projections, adapted to engage a support, said projections extending beyond the ends of said plate at each 'end and from eachstilfened end portion of the longitudinal edge of said plate, each plate being of the same construction, the supporting projections at one ,end of each plate'being adapted to longitudinallyy overlap the supporting projections at the adjacent end of a next alined plate on the same support, at least one end portion of each plate being recessed to allow a projection from the next alined plate to be moved from its supportthrough th plane of said plate.

WARREN H. FARR. cARoLUs L. EKSERGIAN. TALMoN A. DAVENPORT. 

